All of the Pokemon were looked so wonderful and happy. It was like a small slice of heaven that Lucia had stumbled into. She admired the sights there were to see where she was, but her eyes slowly caught onto something weird about that Starmie. It had a saddle on it, for some reason...

Wait, some Pokemon also had saddles, and they weren't exactly the kind of Pokemon that one would consider "rideable".

"Huh?" Lucia looked at the few Pokemon and then back to Shalin. "Are you...riding some of these?"

The Greninja, that Salazzle and even the Eveelutions that were all congregated over in one massive group.

"Does that hurt? These don't look like strong enough Pokemon to hold somebody's weight."

Shalin Nariya

☉

The knowledge about the discolored Pokemon phenomneom that were shiny Pokemon had made Lucia's expression to turn into one of horror. After El's little explanation, the child chided herself for attempting to

"So Jason just lied to me?! Augh, I should have called dibs on that Koffing when I had the chance! Damn it!"

She fussed about that little slip up she had with that one strange guy back in Old Mauville. If he totally knew that there was a shiny Pokemon she obviously wanted, how dare he keep that information from her! Koffings were...actually, were they good at battling? All they seemed to do was to flat around and release toxic fumes into the air. At that point, they seemed just like a car without all of the of metal parts. But maybe there was some kind of benefit to having them around?

Her offer to help El with their shared mission of searching for the Champ had gone over smoothly. At their agreement, Lucia beamed at the Ranger with a pleased but worn smile. All of El's Pokemon had such cool names as they showed off every one of them that were on their person.

"Thanks, El! I'm, ah..." Lucia paused. Probably not a good idea to give her name to this person. She wasn't here legally, and they probably had a record or something. Did Rangers have records?

"Lucy. I'm training up for the Gym Challenge out here. This is my Pokemon, Hero."

The Dunsparce let out a soft hum in greeting at El and their Pokemon. Lucia did the same, trying to pet Ysera's head or body to show her thanks for the ride, then do the same for each and every Pokemon that other El had showed her.

"Your team is amazing! How did you get them all? Are they strong? Can you tell me how to get strong Pokemon?"

Only 3 minutes of meeting a new person and Lucia was already peppering them with questions.

El Sunderland

☉

"Where am I?" she asked herself, tapping her foot on the concrete and beginning to wander around this strange city. It was clearly like some of the capitals of regions she had visited before, but...it was oddly different. Maybe it was the way some buildings warped around or didn't look like they fit in reality.

A lone figure stood in the middle of a town square that stood before her. Lucia paused and debated about what she should do, though their clothing suggested that they had come from the same place they have. The child had slowly began to walk over towards the squatting person and trying to look down at whatever they were staring at.

"Excuse me," she said in a shaky voice, "D-Do you know where we are?"

But something would worm itself into the forefront of her mind. A sense of fuzziness that swarmed her brain. Lucia felt her thoughts just sort of melt while seeming confused about whatever she was doing. The child blinked while looking behind them as the mist rolled in.

"Huh? What's going on?" Lucia tilted her head. Wasn't this just a cool night? Where did all that mist come from?

John Sullivan | ameena abadi

☉

"I had to do it. I...I can't explain, but just trust me, okay?"

Lucia shot the woman a look once she was resting inside of her arms. She knew full well of what risk she was taking when dealing with Rocket and their antics of stealing Pokemon from Hoenn's citizens. Thea looked ready to scold her but would take up mantle beside her and fight against the Rocket grunts that had been trailing behind the child.

The other Pokemon the woman had brought with her swapped places with one another, and then the Primeape took charge and launched a RAGE FIST at their opponents. The fearsome attack launched the fellow Psychic across the way. The other Rockets trembled in fera at what was in front of them.

"Aw, crap! That's one tough monkey!"
"Do we run away?! I'm not paid enough for something like this!!" One asked, shivering from the display between them.
"Not on our life! Now throw out your pokemon!"

The Beheyeem was called back and replaced by a Houndoom and a Weavile, both looking at the two Rangers in front of them.

"Pick one and I'll take the other." Lucia said to Thea. "We'll deal with them and I'll explain stuff later."

Thea Naito

☉

His hands were heavy on her shoulder, heavy enough to where her babbling had ceased. She was forced to look Doug in the eyes, her own pouring down tears as repeated what he had said before. Lucia said nothing but listening in silence to what he was saying.

And it still hurt, no matter how many times she heard it. She closed her eyes to squeeze the few droplets out of her eyes again before nodding silently.

"I could have stopped them, b-but I just never saw it..."

He embraced her, and Lucia did the same in return. The unwanted touch wasn't present this time. She squeezed him back while her emotional wall had been fully destroyed.

"Why's this happening to me? Why can't I be normal? Ah-I just wanted friends and to go to school and just...not be me." Lucia whined again, covering her face again. "I keep telling myself it's not my fault, but I can't...a-and I don't know why."

John Sullivan

☉

"Huh?"

Lucia looked underneath her to see somebody else coming to her rescue. The Dunsparce eyed the newcomer with hesitation but was up for anything that would get his trainer out of the clutches of the Psychic-type holding her. The source of the move appeared to be a Beheeyem from afar. The Disable had ended its grasp on Lucia, as she fell right back to Earth, landing in the arms of Thea.

Hero took the time to become inspired by the actions of the Miccino's HELPING HAND. He puffed his tail up, the drill bit growing to a size larger than his body. Once the growth had stopped, the drill tail began to whir around at fast speeds. The Rocket grunts saw what was coming and took a step back.

"Oh, shit!"
"Duck for cover!"

The Dunsparce fired off a sudden HYPER DRILL at the Beheeyem and its party, knocking the party aside while the psychic-type was still standing.

"Thanks for the save." Lucia said. "I caught them stealing all these Pokeballs from the people in the town nearby and went to stop them."

Thea Naito

☉

"She is? But her scales are all green when they're supposed to be blue." Lucia replied.

She didn't mean for it to come off as a correction, but was more of confusion.

"I was catching Pokemon in Old Mauville when I found a Koffing, but it was all green. The guy I was with said it was sick and he'd take care of it, so I let him catch it. That's why I thought she was sick."

With that topic out of the way, she was surprised to see that they were indeed a Ranger. Lucia tensed up some. Were they affiliated with the League? Should she just turn around and hurry away before they figured out who she was? Maybe it would have been better if she continued as if it was normal. Yeah, that would probably be for the best.

"It's nice to meet you. Uh, thank you for keeping Hoenn safe."

The child began, with the Dunsparce slithering closer to inspect Ysera. Lucia carefully moved closer before trying her best to seem as if she wasn't too affected by his presence. Hopefully he didn't pick up on it...

"I'll be okay. Hero and I have been by ourselves for long enough. But since we're both looking for the Champion, and you're worried about us, maybe we can team up? That way you'll be able to keep an eye on me and I'll help look for the Champ."

El Sunderland

☉

Lucia followed behind Shalin after meeting the Ranger from her run-in with her while delivering the egg to Oldale Town. Her excited footsteps shadowed behind the woman with green hair alongside her Dunsparce that trailed behind them both. They entered the hollow tree where Shalin like resided, only to be led down a ladder in the back that led to someplace else.

"Whoa! Look at all of them!" Lucia marveled at the numerous Pokemon in this little backyard area.

Countless Pokemon were wandering around or interacting with each other: napping or busy lounging in the afternoon sun. Serena came running to them as Lucia smiled and knelt down to be at the Persian's level. She showed it just as much affection as she had last time. Petting her fur and praising how fast she was. No doubt she was busy running around the woods in the back of Shalin's house!

"It's great to see you again, Serena! You're still so fast!" More head ruffling around was had before Lucia looked up at Shalin. "Is this where you train your team at? Or is it a sanctuary?"

Shalin Nariya

☉

It wasn't too much longer after her shout that a Pokemon would descend from above them. Lucia's eyes honed in on the large silhouette zoning in on them. She gasped and readied an empty pokeball in her hand to catch it with.

"Ready to go, Hero? On my mark."

The Dunsparce wriggled in front of the child and aimed its drill tail at the diving shape. A small whirling sound had come from the drill as both trainer and Pokemon were ready to take on this dangerous looking shape that was fast approaching. It had to be some kind of super tough Pokemon! But it wasn't until it had come closer that Lucia picked up on another person on its back. Even more so when they slowly landed in front of them.

"Huh? You're not a wild Pokemon?" she asked, eyeing the Hydregion. It definitely was a Hydregion, but it was different. "Oh, you must be sick too. Where did you find her? Was she with her family?"

She had come across it before, having encountered one when already exploring around the old portion of Mauville.

The person who had lowered themselves to her elevation was concerned, and who wouldn't be? Lucia wasn't stupid to see why any person would be concerned for a kid up here. But she stowed the pokeball away and would flick out her (stolen) phone to show them the bulletin put out to be searching for one man in particular.

"We were searching around for kyle lopez up here and trying to search for some Pokemon to catch at the same time. You're lucky I saw you. I was ready to have Hero use Hyper Drill on you two." she fussed, almost scolding them for worrying her. "Are you alright, though? Do you guys need help or anything? There's not really any strong looking Pokemon around here, so we were exploring around."

El Sunderland

☉

Lucia couldn't look up at Doug anymore, far too exhausted from the events of her stay at the penitentiary to even do anything but weep. She could have been picked up by a Megaopolan to be kidnapped and taken away further from Hoenn, but she could care less. Her body lacked the will to really keep going on at this point. The fingers gently cradled her form as the kid was lifted into the air, with the reassuring voice letting her know it was okay.

"Doug..." Lucia said weakly, putting her head on his shoulder. For not being a bed of any kind, it was surprisingly comfortable, like sleeping on a bed for change.

Her hands went around his form for support, but it was his touch that eased her worn spirits. She closed her eyes and quietly sulked, clinging onto her as the Dunsparce by her was looking up at her to ensure that she was doing okay.

Lucia continued for a bit before she had fully fallen asleep in Doug's grasp. Thoroughly drained of energy now that freedom was shown to her, all of the anxiety, the worries, the stress and the paranoia was gone, replaced by a void of energy. As she slumbered, her form rested in Doug's arms, enjoying a peaceful sleep for the first time in what was hopefully a long time to come.

☉

She wished she could believe Doug. She wished that there was something she could have done to prevent all of this from ever happening, but deep down, she knew it would only ever be a dream.

Lucia hugged Doug back through blinding, painful tears. After spilling tears for a solid minute straight, she managed to calm herself down enough to remember to breathe. Her gaze didn't rise to meet Doug's, but she shook her head with a whine.

The childish indifference refused to see things any other way.

”It is!”

She said, stomping her foot down while biting back further tears. Her hurt ego loosened her already quivering lips, as the trainer lacked the self control to monitor what she said and let the dam unleash.

”That's the only reason why I'm here! Because I let all those Pokémon end up in Rocket's care. I deserve this, Doug…”

Her spirit was in shambles, Lucia just hugging Doug, as if he would be able to rewind time and tell her that everything would be okay. She did manage to look him in the eyes again after a while, though not without a healthy dose of regret.

John Sullivan

☉